local dealer quoted $1500 for alignment!?

[Mkva90]

so I won't mention any names but I recently installed some springs and got 2 new tires for the rear so an aligment was in order.
the 2nd dealership I went to said I would need to do the 30k maintenance in order to get an alignment cuss I need some kind of inspection in order to proceed with the alignment.. my car has 20k..
decided to try my luck again at a different dealer and after waiting 4 hours I was told the front alignment was fine but as he said "here's the bad news" the rear needs work. he said the mechanic explained to him that the rear alignment for our cars take a lot of work and he would need to order new bolts and a tool that they need to borrow from toyota in order to do the alignment.
cost was quoted at $1500 and they would need my car for 2 weeks..
wtf is that all about?

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[suicidaleggroll]

lol

Find a local performance shop, ideally one that specializes in german cars. It should be around $150. Toyota doesn't know WTF to do with these cars, best to just avoid them.

 

[digicidal]

^ This. A decent shop should have the flat rate posted for an alignment. This is the BMW shop I go to for all but recalls, etc.:

There shouldn't be much price variability in an alignment... unless it needs something repaired in order to bring it into alignment. Might be a bit more in CA since it's expensive as hell to run a business there for other reasons. Anything over $200-250 is just extortion.

 

[Mkva90]

lol

Find a local performance shop, ideally one that specializes in german cars. It should be around $150. Toyota doesn't know WTF to do with these cars, best to just avoid them.

got it. thanks

 

[alan7467]

I don't know about BMWs, but at least on Miatas the cam bolts used when aligning the car are prone to breaking IF the mechanic isn't careful OR if you get frequent alignments. Maybe that's what that dealer was talking about, though it certainly shouldn't add $1,350 to the typical going rate for an alignment.

As others have said I'd find a performance shop or shop specializing in German/BMW cars to do the alignment. Note that a precision alignment can cost quite a bit more if you ask that, but still shouldn't be more than $300.

 

[razorlab]

lol $1500 and two weeks. I do these in my garage and it takes under an hour. Like others have said, find a local performance shop.

 

[SuupYota]

Yea lol, that's ridiculous. I went to a autoshop that specializes in track cars and track alignments, and it was $187.00

 

[razorlab]

@Mkva90 Where are you in California?

 

[jtsang25]

Ask them for a break down of costs. I want to know what they're doing.

 

[Mkva90]

I'm in san jose area

@Mkva90 Where are you in California?

San jose the dealer was Sunnyvale that quoted the 1500 to 2k

 

[Mkva90]

Ask them for a break down of costs. I want to know what they're doing.

I'm really curious to. I mean first off I don't know how the front is ok after I installed lowering springs and I've never heard of an alignment costing 1500 I mean is there a machine/tool that's required and they expect me to pay for it?

 

[jtsang25]

I'm really curious to. I mean first off I don't know how the front is ok after I installed lowering springs and I've never heard of an alignment costing 1500 I mean is there a machine/tool that's required and they expect me to pay for it?

Not impossible. When I inquired about the nsx when it first came out they said I needed to pay for the "special lift" needed for extra low nsx. Told them to kick rocks.

 

[ColonelAdama]

I was quoted $170 today from a local shop/team that races Supra GT4s. That's probably as good as it will get, so it should be under 200....

 

[razorlab]

I'm in san jose area

San jose the dealer was Sunnyvale that quoted the 1500 to 2k

I used Motorsport Techniques in Hayward for over a decade when I lived in the Bay Area. Good guys.

https://www.e-motorsport.com/

 

[Bigboss]

That brings the question do you guys go to toyota for any maintenance work like oil changes or they should be avoided as much as possible like the plague

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